Our Father among the SaintsNICHOLASthe WonderworkerArchbishop of Myra in LyciaMATINS

December 6

After the first reading from the Psalter

Kathisma. Mode I.The soldiers keeping watch.

Greek iconSt Nicholas Center Collection

You brightly shine on earth with the rays of your wonders, * inciting every tongue to sing praises and glory * of God who has glorified you on earth, O wise Nicholas. * Pray Him earnestly, as one select of the fathers, * that we who keep your feast with faith and love be delivered * from every necessity.

Glory. Both now. Theotokion.Same Melody

O Mary, as the Lord’s hallowed vessel, we pray you * to raise us up, for we have fallen into the chasm * of awful despondency, and transgressions and suffering. * For you have indeed become the sinners’ salvation, * and their help in need and their prevailing protection; * and you save your servants.

After the second reading from the Psalter

Kathisma. Mode IV.

You appeared todayBlessed father Nicholas, * you are a foremost defender * of the faithful, guard and shield, * Ven’rable saint, and it is clear * that you redeem them from every woe, * O finest honor and glory of hierarchs.

Glory, both now. Theotokion.Same Melody

As the ready advocate * for those who trust you, * overlook me not, I pray, * but from the perils set me free, * O Theotokos, the help of all, * and for the needy, defense unassailable.

After the Polyeleos

Kathisma. Mode IV.Come quickly

O Nicholas, manifestly you protected the Church * of Christ with the utmost zeal, refuting godless beliefs * and doctrines of heresies, * censuring them with candor. * And for all you were clearly * Orthodoxy’s rule of faith and great intercessor * for all who would follow your divine teachings and conferences.

Glory, both now. Theotokion.Same Melody

Be swift to accept our fervent prayers, O Lady and Queen, * and take them, all-blameless Maiden, and present them for us * before your own Son and God. * Obliterate the scandals of the slanderous babblers, * frustrate the machinations and humble the boldness * of the godless, O Pure one, who against your servants have taken arms.

The first Antiphon of the Hymns of Ascent in Mode IV.

Prokeimenon

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saint.

Verse: What shall we render to the Lord for all that He has rendered to us?

The Reading from the Holy GospelPsalm 50

Glory. Mode II.

At the intercession of the holy hierarch, * O Lord of mercy, blot out my many offences.

Both now

At the intercession of the Theotokos, * O Lord of mercy, blot out my many offences.

Verse: Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your great mercy … .

Idiomelon. Mode Pl. II.

Well done, good and faithful servant; well done, O laborer of the vineyard of Christ! You bore the burden of the day, and increased the talent that was given you, and did not envy those who came after you. Therefore the portal of heaven was opened to you. Enter into the joy of you Lord, and intercede on our behalf, O Saint Nicholas.

Katavasias of ChristmasOde One. Mode I.

Christ is born; therefore, glorify! * Christ is come from heaven; encounter Him. * Christ is on earth; arise to Him. * Sing to the Lord, all you who dwell on the earth; * and in merry spirits, O you peoples, praise His birth. * For He is glorified.

Ode Three

To the Son, begotten * without flux, of the Father, before the ages, * and who was lately made incarnate * of the Virgin without seed; * to Christ God now let us cry aloud: * You have exalted the horn of our strength. Only You are holy, O Lord.

Ode Four

Jesse’s root produced a branch, O Christ, * and You its flower blossomed forth, * from the Virgin who by Hábakkuk prophetically once was called * overshadowed, dense mountain. * From her who knew not man You came incarnate, * the immaterial God. * Glory to Your power, O Lord.

Ode Five

God of peace and Father of mercies, Your Son * You have sent unto us as Your messenger, * the Angel of great counsel who is granting us Your peace. * Therefore having been guided to the light of godly knowledge, * waking from the night to dawn, we sing Your glory, O Lover of man.

Ode Six

Such as it received * Jonah as an embryo, the sea beast disgorged him from its bowels intact. * With the Virgin, though, when the Logos had dwelt in her taking on flesh, * He came forth from her preserving her yet incorrupt. * For from her no fluxion suffered He, * and He kept her unaltered in childbirth.

Kontakion. Mode III.

On this dayYou became the minister * of sacred mysteries in Myra, * holy father Nicholas. * Fulfilling Christ’s holy Gospel, * you laid down your very soul for your people, * and you saved those who were innocent from dying. * For this reason you were hallowed * as a great mystic of the divine grace of God.

Œkos

Let us now with songs extol the Hierarch, O people, that shepherd and teacher in Myra, so that by his intercession we may be illumined. Behold, he appeared completely pure, incorrupt in spirit, offering to Christ a blameless sacrifice, sincere, acceptable to God, as a priest purified in soul and body. Therefore he is truly the Church’s protector and her champion, as a great mystic of the divine grace of God.

Synaxarion

On the sixth day of this month of December, we observe the memory of our Father among the Saints, Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia.

VersesNicholas, on earth a great intercessor,having departed from the earth still intercedes with fervor.Nicholas’ earthly life ended on the sixth.

Memory of the holy New-martyr Nicholas Karamanes, who martyred in Smyrna in year 1657.

On this same day, commemoration of the fearful threat of earthquake that came to us in God’s love for humanity.

At the intercession of all Your saints, O Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us. Amen.

Ode Seven

The children nurtured piously together, * with contempt regarding the impious king’s decree, * intrepidly faced the threat of holocaust, * and while standing in the midst of flames they chanted thus, * saying: O God of the fathers, You are blessed.

Ode Eight

Babylon’s bedewing furnace bore the image * of an extraordinary wonder. * For it did not burn the youths it accepted, * nor did the fire of Divinity consume the Virgin’s womb wherein it went. * So let us melodiously chant in praise: * Let all creation bless and extol the Lord, * and let it exalt Him supremely to the ages.

Ode NineO my soul, magnify her who is greaterin honor and in glory than the armies of heaven.

I see here a strange and paradoxical mystery. * For, behold, the grotto is heaven; * cherubic throne is the Virgin; * the manger a grand space * in which Christ our God the uncontainable reclined as a babe; * Whom in extolling do we magnify.

ExaposteilarionO women, hearken

Come all believers, let us praise * the great archpastor, hierarch, * and prelate of those in Myra, * Saint Nicholas, and extol him; for he delivered many men * from wrongful death, appearing in * a dream unto the Emperor * and to Avlávios, thereby * rescinding the unjust sentence.

Same Melody

O Nicholas the Hierarch, * both in your life and after death, * the Lord greatly glorified you * with miracles, holy father. * For who has ever simply prayed, * invoking your all-holy name * with all his faith and not been heard * immediately or found you * to be his ardent protector?

Theotokion. Same Melody.

O Virgin who gave birth to Christ, * the great Physician of one and all, * who is hypostatic Wisdom * and super-essential Logos, * I supplicate you fervently * to heal my soul’s distressing sores * and its long-standing maladies, * and stop my heart’s meditation * on unseemly recollections.

At the Praises, four Stichera Prosomoia

Mode IFor the celestial orders

As you are hovering over the flowers of the Church, * being yourself a fledgling * of the nest of the Angels, * O Nicholas thrice blessed, you ever cry * unto God on behalf of all * who in temptations and perils invoke your aid; * and you rescue them by fervent prayers.

By means of practical virtue you made the elegance * of sacerdotal vesture shine with greater resplendence, * O God-bearing Father. Hence as a priest * you accomplish terrific deeds, * and from lamentable woes you deliver us, * as you work your famous miracles.

Being surrounded by beauties of things invisible, * you gained a comprehension of that awe-inspiring glory, * Nicholas, O holy one among saints. * And you therefore announce to us, * O sacred father, the heavenly words that speak * of the vision of eternity.

As you appeared in a dream to the pious Emperor * and thus from death then rescued * those unjustly imprisoned, * intercede unceasingly so that now * we who worthily sing your praise * be from temptations and perils and every pain * likewise rescued, Father Nicholas.

Glory. Mode Pl. I.

Let us sound the trumpet with the clarion of song, and festively let us leap for joy, and exultantly let us join chorus for the annual celebration of the God-bearing Father. Let the kings and princes run to gather together, and with hymns extol him who by his fearsome appearance in a dream convinced the Emperor to release the three imprisoned officers, for they were innocent. O Shepherds and Teachers, let us come together and praise the Shepherd and zealous imitator of the Good Shepherd. Those of us who are sick let us praise the physician; our rescuer, we in perils; and sinners, our defender; you paupers, him who makes you rich; you in tribulation, your consolation; your fellow traveler, you who travel; your pilot, you who sail the seas. And everyone extol him who anticipates everywhere, as the grandest Hierarch. And in lauding him, let us say to him, “All-holy father Nicholas, quickly come and deliver us from the present necessity, and save your flock, by your supplications.”

Both now. Theotokion.Same Mode

Let us sound the trumpet with the clarion of song. For inclining from on high, the Queen of all and Virgin Mother crowns with her blessings those who extol her. Let the kings and princes run to gather together, and with hymns applaud her, the Queen who bore the King who, in His love for humanity, was well pleased to release those who were formerly prisoners of death. O Shepherds and Teachers, let us come together and praise the surpassingly pure Mother of the Good Shepherd. Let us praise her, for she is the golden lamp-stand, the light-bearing cloud, the one who is wider than the heavens, the animate Ark, the fiery throne of the Master, the golden urn holding the Manna, the gate of the Logos, which is closed shut. With songs inspired by God, let us extol her, as the shelter for all Christians. And in lauding her, let us say to her, “O Palace of the Logos, account us worthy, lowly that we be, of the Kingdom of heaven; for nothing is impossible, by your mediation.”

Alternative Theotokion

Same Mode

We pronounce you blessed, O Virgin Theotokos, * and we glorify you, duty-bound as believers; * the city unshakable, the wall indestructible, the firm and steadfast protection, * and the place of refuge for our souls.